Automatic elevator



March 21, 1950 GQWER 2,501,171

AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 12, 1947 Fig.1

THOMAJ crmxuss Gonna-:1?

Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UTOMATI E R Thomas Charles Gower, Greenville, S C.

A lica ion Au ust 1 1947, Serial N 83-30 6 C aim 1 This invention relates to automatic elevators, and more especially to means for controlling operation of such elevators. The present invention represents a further development and improvement of the inventions disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 594,623, filed May 1 9, 1945, now Patent Number 2,425, 12 of August 12, 1947 and Serial No. 650,252, filed February in my above identified copending applications,

I have disclosed means for automatically control-- ling the operation and direction of rotation of a single phase electric motor of the type having a starting winding and associated means for automatically disconnecting the startin Winding after the motor has started. More specifically, a capacitor motor used according to my copending applications, and in one instance a control s m p rti larly adapt d r o a in a door closure is disclosed, and in the other instance the application is directed to automatic operation of an elevator or hoist between a maximum of three floor levels.

According to the present invention, a control system is disclosed for automatically operating an elevator or the like between more than three floor levels. This control system, as in my prior cop nd n appl ti n. i ar cu a ly a ap d for use with a a citor m tor Th m tor is arrangedto ei-iect movement of an elevator car diss d o av tween flo l vel and p ntrol system provides means for controlling the operation and direction of movement of the elevator,

The control system of the present invention is described further :below in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an embodiment of the control system of this invention for five floor levels, and in which the elevator car is assumed to be at rest at the first floor level; and,

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are corresponding fragmentary details to illustrate the operation of the selector mechanism included in the control system as the elevator car is moved to the second, third, fourth, and fifth floor levels, respectively. 7

The capacitor motor for effecting movement of the elevator car is represented generally in Fig. l by the numeral ill. The motor ill may be arranged to efiect movement of the elevator car (not shown) in any conventional manner such as is illustrated, for example in my copending application Serial No. 650,252.

T running w nd ng for th motor it is own at H nd he s tin windin t 12- The a ing winding circuit includes a centrifugal switch 13 for automatically disconnecting the starting winding 12 after the motor has started, and a reversing switch M. A line circuit is provided at 5 for operation of the motor In, and the motor in is mechanically associated (as indicated by the dotted line at 15 in Fig. l) with an auxiliary centrifugal switch H, a frictionally operated contact making device 18, and a selector mechanism S. The purpose and iunction of these mechanically associated elements is described iurther below.

The line circuit 15, includes a normally open switch I 9 which is controlled by a main line relay M, The relay M is energized from a control circuit 2!) connected through a transformer '21 across the line circuit 15, although it will be rec, ognized that the transformer 2| will not be required if relays equipped with individual transformers are used. The control circuit 20 runs to aplurality of control stations from which it may be closed to energize the main line relay M as will p ea presently. Th previously m nti ned auxiliary centrifugal switch H is arranged for making a holding circuit 22 from the control circult 2! to relay M during operationof motor Ill.

The control stations for closing the control circuit 29 comprise a plurality of manually opera.- ble switch members, in the nature of a push but,- ton or the like, arranged on the elevator car and corresponding in number to the number of fioor levels, as indicated at Cl, C2, C3, C4, and C5; and a similar manually operable switch member at each of the floor levels as at Fl, F2, F3, F4, and F5. The control circuit 20 runs in parallel to these switch members so that it may be closed at any one of them to energize the main relay M and start motor Ill.

The control circuit 2|! is also connected through the above mentioned manually operable switch members to energize a second relay Rwhich is arranged to control the reversing switch 14, and consequently the direction of rotation of motor In. The previously noted frictionally operated contact making device I 8 and selector mechanism bers Cl and Fl at .the first floor level directly 7 through relay R to control circuit 28, which means hat lay R'will alw ys be cne eized hen called to the first floor level from either of these control stations, and that the position of reversing switch l4 corresponding to energized condition of relay R will also correspond to operatiOn of motor it in a direction for downward movement of the elevator car. Consequently, for upward movement of the elevator car, relay R will always have to be de-energized to obtain operation of motor ID in the opposite direction. For this purpose, the control circuit 20 also runs to relay R through a holding circuit 24 which includes normally closed contacts as shown at 25. These contacts are controlled by a relay '26 which is energized through connections 21 and 28 from the control stations above the first floor level, when the elevator car is at the first floor as shown in Fig. 1, so that the contacts 26 are automatically opened to orient the reversing switch [4 properly whenever the elevator car is called from the first floor level to an upper floor level.

The connections from the control stations for :intermediate floor levels run to the relay 26 through the selector mechanism S at contacts a,

'b, and 0, respectively. Ihe selector mechanism S has contacting shoes m and n for making the contacts a, b, and c, and as noted above it is mechanically associated with motor 10. As shown in Fig. l, upward movement of the elevator car is :assumed to correspond to operation of motor l in the direction of clockwise rotation with corresponding rotation of the selector mechanism S, so that upon movement of the elevator car to the upper floor levels the shoes m and n will progressively assume positions with respect to contacts a, b, and c as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. And as shoe m is tied to connection 23, and shoe n to connection 21, the reversing switch i4 will still be oriented properly no matter where the elevator car is or in which direction it is called.

The foregoing arrangement provides means for starting the motor [0 to effect movement of the elevator car in the proper direction for travel to a selected floor level. To stop the elevator car after the selected floor level has been reached, provision is made for reversing the starting winding 12 and reconnecting it to buck the running winding H and thus stop motor iii. For this purpose, a bridging circuit 29 is arranged across the centrifugal switch l3 to run in parallel to contacts at each of the fioor levels as indicated at Xi, X2, X3, X4, and X5. These contacts are disposed to be made by means associated with the elevator car, such as a shoe 3!] as described further in my above mentioned copending application Serial No. 650,252.

The bridging circuit 29 to contacts Xi and X5 To provide for the starting winding I2 is reconnected, the frictionally operated contact making device I8 is interposed in the holding circuit 24 for the relay R. It has previously been pointed out above that for upward movement of the elevator car, relay R should be de-energized and that it must be energized for downward movement, and it will be apparent that the opposite conditions must prevail to reconnect starting winding i2 for stopping motor i0 following upward or downward movement of the elevator car. Also, it has been assumed above that upward movement of the elevator car corresponds to operation of motor Ill in the direction of clockwise rotation, so that move ment of the frictionally operated contact making device [8 will be in a corresponding direction.

The frictionally operated contact making device I8 is preferably of the type described in detail in my prior copending applications, and comprises essentially a. friction collar mounted for rotation on a shaft except when opposed and a contact making member extending from this collar as illustrated generally at 3| in Fig. 1. With upward movement of the elevator car and consequent clockwise rotation of motor ID, the contact making device [8 will shift until member 3| makes the contacts at 32 in holding circuit 24, and as relay 26 has no holding circuit, the holding circuit 24 will be automatically closed at contacts 32 after the motor has started upon call to an upper floor to energize relay R for orienting reversing switch l4 properly to stop motor I! when the call floor is reached. If the call floor is the top floor, then the elevator car will travel until shoe 3!) makes the contacts at X5 without further adjustment of the control system. And if the elevator car were at the top floor and were called to the first, the contact making device l8 would shift in a counterclockwise direction after motor [0 started to a position determined by a stop 33 so that contacts 32 would open to de-energize relay R and allow proper reconnection of starting winding !2 for stopping when contacts Xi were reached.

If the call floor is an intermediate floor, additional connections are made selectively through relays B2, B3, and B4 to complete the bridging circuit 29 to contacts X2, X3, or X4 as desired. The relays B2, B3, and B4 are connected in control circuit 20 through the control stations at the respective intermediate floor levels, so that they are energized whenever the control circuit 20 is closed for the corresponding intermediate floor level. Also, the relays B2, B3 and B4 are provided with a holding circuit 34 running from the circuit for motor I0 so that when energized to effect stopping at one of the intermediate floors they are automatically de-energized when the motor 10 stops.

A further feature of the control system of the present invention is an auxiliary relay 35 arranged to prevent control of movement of the elevator car from any of the control stations after the motor H! has been started from another control station. The relay 35 is arranged to control normally closed contacts 36 in the control circuit 20. This relay 35 is connected through a transformer 31 across the centrifugal switch l3, so that until the centrigufal switch I3 is disconnected upon starting of motor l0, relay 35 will not draw current. When the centrifugal switch [3 opens, however, relay 35 will be connected in series with the running winding so that it will be energized to open contacts 36 and in turn open control circuit 26 to render all of the control stations inactive until motor 10 is stopped.

I claim:

1. In an automatic elevator, the combination with an elevator car disposed for travel between at least four floor levels, of means for moving and controlling said elevator car for travel between said fioor levels comprising a single phase electric motor arranged to effect movement of said elevator car, said electric motor having a starting winding and associated means for automatically disconnecting the starting winding after the motor has started, a line circuit running to said motor, said line circuit including a normally open switch, a relay arranged to close said switch when energized, a reversing switch in the circuit of said starting winding, a second relay arranged for controlling said reversing switch, a plurality of bridging circuits across said centrifugal switch running in parallel to contacts at each of said floor levels, said contacts being made by means associated with said elevator car when said car is moved to the respective floor levels, the bridging circuits for intermediate floors being normally open, and additional relays being ar-- ranged for selective closing of said bridging circuits for the intermediate floors, a plurality of manually operable switch members on said elevator car corresponding in number to the number of floor levels, a manually operable switch member at each floor level, a control circuit connected across said line circuit ahead of said line switch for energizing said relays, all of said manually operable switch members being connected in parallel for closing said control circuit to said first and second relays and for selective closing of said additional relays, and means interposed in the control circuit to said second relay for automatically orienting said relay according to the desired direction for movement ofsaid elevator car.

2. In an automatic elevator, the combination defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that the single phase electric motor is a capacitor motor.

3. In an automatic elevator, the combination defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that an auxiliary centrifugal switch is mechanically associated with said motor for making a holding circuit from said control circuit to said first relay during operation of said motor.

4. In an automatic elevator, the combination defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that an auxiliary relay is connected through a transformer across the centrifugal switch in the winding of said motor, said auxiliary relay being arranged to open normally closed contacts in the control circuit running to said manually operable switch members and thereby prevent control of said elevator car from said switch members during operation of said motor.

5. In an automatic elevator, the combination defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said last mentioned means for orienting said second relay includes a selector mechanism mechanically associated with said motor for rotation in accordance with the direction of movement of said elevator car, said selector mechanism having contacting shoes arranged for making contacts selectively in the control circuits from the manually operable switch members for the intermediate floor levels to said second relay in accordance with the position of said elevator car with respect to said intermediate floor levels.

6. In an automatic elevator, thecombination defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said last mentioned means for orienting said second relay includes a holding circuit from said control circuit to said second relay, and said holding circuit includes means mechanically associated with said motor for automatically closing said holding circuit when said motor is operated in one direction and a relay arranged to open normally closed contacts in said holding circuit, said relay being connected for energizing by the control circuits from the manually operable switch members at floor levels requiring operation of said motor in the opposite direction.

THOMAS CHARLES GOWER.

No references cited.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,501,171 March 21, 1950 THOMAS CHARLES GOWER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requlring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 3, before the Word Winding insert starting;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of July, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gammissz'oner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,501,171 March 21, 1950 THOMAS CHARLES GOWER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 3, before the Word windin insert starting;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of July, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,501,171 March 21, 1950 THOMAS CHARLES GOWER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 3, before the word Winding insert starting;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiioe.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of July, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gammtssz'oner of Patents. 

